Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Food loaves come in a variety of shapes (round, square, rectangular, oval, etc.), cross-sections, and lengths. Such loaves are made from various comestibles, such as meat, cheese, etc. Most loaves are provided to an intermediate processor who slices and packages the products in groups for retail.
A variety of machines have been developed to slice such loaves. One such machine is an S-180(trademark) available from Formax(copyright), Inc., of Mokena, Ill. The S-180(trademark) machine is a high speed food loaf slicing machine that slices one, two, or more food loaves simultaneously using one cyclically driven slicing blade. Independent loaf feed drives are provided so that slices cut from one loaf may vary in thickness from slices cut from the other loaf. The machine includes a slicing station that is enclosed by a housing, except for a limited slicing opening. The slicing blade is disposed in the slicing station and a drive rotates the slicing blade at a predetermined cyclical rate on a cutting path through a slicing range that intersects the food loaves as they are fed into the slicing station. A marker moving with the blade is sensed by a fixed sensor to establish a home position for the blade. 
In the foregoing machine, the food loaf slices are received in groups of predetermined weight on a receiving conveyor that is disposed adjacent the slicing blade. The receiving conveyor receives the slices as they are cut by the slicing blade. In many instances, neatly aligned stacked groups are preferred and, as such, the sliced product is stacked on the receiving conveyor before being transferred from the machine. In other instances, the groups are shingled so that a purchaser can see a part of every slice through a transparent package. In these other instances, conveyor belts of the receiving conveyor are gradually moved during the slicing process to separate the slices.
Whether the product is provided in a stacked or shingled format, it is desirable to ensure proper positioning of the slices as they proceed from the slicing blade onto the receiving conveyor for stacking or shingling. Traditionally, round or involute slicing blades have been employed that provide adequate positioning of the slices as they are stacked or shingled during low slicing speed operations. However, the present inventors have recognized that control of the slices as they proceed from the slicing blade onto the receiving conveyor may be necessary during high slicing speed machine operation. Absent such control, product stacks are non-uniform as is the spacing between slices of shingled product. The present inventors have recognized the need for reducing the non-uniformity associated with high speed slicing operations. Accordingly, they have invented a slicing blade for slicing a single loaf and/or concurrently slicing a plurality of product loaves disposed in a side-by-side relationship that meets the foregoing need.
A slicing machine for slicing at least first and second product loaves disposed in a side-by-side arrangement using a single rotation of a single slicing blade in a slicing station is set forth. The slicing station includes a slicing edge of the slicing blade and a midway axis passing generally equidistant between the at least first and second product loaves. The midway axis lies generally in a plane of the slicing blade. The blade is mounted in the slicing station for rotation about an offset rotation axis that is displaced from the midway passing axis. As such, the slicing edge generates substantially similar but oppositely directed product throwing angles for the first and second product loaves with respect to the midway axis. Preferably, the offset rotation axis is laterally displaced from the midway passing axis. In accordance with a further inventive aspect of the presently disclosed system, a single rotation of the slicing edge about the center of rotation results in a penetration gradient into each of the first and second product loaves that diminishes in magnitude over the single rotation. To this end, the slicing edge may have a profile defined by a plurality of constant radius sections. Each constant radius section has a section center defining the center of the constant radius for that constant radius section. Further, each constant radius section has a section center differing from the section center of an adjacent constant radius section. Such a blade and its associated slicing station provide great control of slices from the loaves as they proceed from the loaf to a receiving conveyor of the slicing station. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a single rotation of the slicing edge about the center of rotation results in substantially concurrent severance of first and second slices from the first and second product loaves thereby facilitating a decrease in the duration of a slicing cycle.